Gas-engine



No. 607,903. Patenfed .luly 26, |898. W. J. WRIGHT.

l (Application led Apr. 2, 189 7J (Nn Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Nn. 607,903. Patented luly 2.6, |898. W. J. WRIGHT.

GAS ENGINE.

(Application filed Apr. 28, 1897.) (No Model.) 2V Sheets-Sheet 2.

ilirnn trici-2.

VILLIAM JAMES WRIGHT, OF1 PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters` Patent No. 607,903, dated July26, 1898.

Serial No. 633,951. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, t nfl/ty concern,.-

Beit known that LWILLIAM JAMES WRIGHT, residing at Pittsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful improvements in Gas-Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention primarily has for its object to provide a gas-en gine(which in its essential features of construction may be of any wellknownform) having attachments, whereby the motion of the engine can bequickly and effectively reversed Without stopping the same.

My invention also seeks to provide a gasengine having means forautomatically reversing the motion and having peculiar and noveligniting means regulated by the operation of the reversing mechanismwhereby the explosive mixture can be ignited almost immediately on thebeginning of the return or forward stroke of the piston to thereby exerta back thrust on the crank-axle before it passes forward beyond thevertical axis of its circle movement whereby to the more effectivelyarrest the forward movement of the piston and thereby cause it toquickly move backward or in a reverse direction. p

Another object of this invention is to provide certain novel exhaustingmeans governed by a direct action of the piston-head thereon to quicklyclear the explosion-chamber of the residuum whereby to admit of a quickfilling of such explosion-chamber with apure mixture of air and gas andthereby provide for a quick and full explosive action of the new mixtureto obtain a full explosive force thereof.

My invention also seeks to provide a reversing mechanism or attachmentsfor gasengines of a very simple and economical construction which can beeasily manufactured and which is capable of being connected with theordinary forms of engines having the reciprocating piston and which caneasily be adjusted and set in an operative condition.

With other objects in view,which will hereinafter be referred to, myinvention consists, essentially, in the means hereinafterset outgenerally in the description and specifically in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l isa side elevation, partly in section, of a gas-engine with myimprovements applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on .an enlarged scale,illustrating the exhaust-valve mechanism. Fig. 3 is anV end view of thequick-exhausting valve devices, and Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the tripdevices for automatically shifting the lever devices to set the lmainigniting-tubein communication with the combustion-chamber after themovement of the engine has been reversed.

While l have shown my improvements applied to an engine of the Vhite andMiddleton type, havinga horizontal reciprocating piston, I desire itunderstood that the same may be applied to other formsl of engines, asthe change necessary to such engines to admit of ,the attaching of myimprovements are confined entirely to the end in which the explosionchamber or chambers is situated. I also desire it understood that thedetailed arrangement of devices effecting the reverse movement of thepiston may also be varied and modified, as the detailed construction ofthe machine towhich they are to be attached may make necessary, the onlyessential relation of the parts being such that the lever-operateddevices after being released from alocked position by hand be connectedwith the driveaxle or a rotary member operated thereby, whereby themovement thereof will serve to automatically set the said lever devicesin position to operate `the piston in the usual manner.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, l indicates the cylinder,provided with the usual gas and air inlets 2 3, automatically-operatedvalve devices 4., the coolingjacket 5, and the foul-mixture-exhaustdevices 5, through which the foul mixture esi capes when the machineruns in the ordinary manner. 6 indicates the piston, 7 the rod, 8 thecrank-shaft, and 9 the fly or balance wheels, all of which may be of anyapproved construction, excepting the rear end of the combustion-chamber,which has a special form of exhaust valved openings, the construction ofwhich is. best illustrated in Fig. 2, by reference to which it Will beseen two exhaust-openings l0 11 are provided, one of' which, 1l, is of alarger diameter than the` other, 10. These openings have valve-seatsarranged to receive reversely-operatin g valves ICO 10L and 11-t`. e.,the valve 11a is arranged to open outward by an extremepiston-headaction pressure of the exploded mixture as it is compressedby the backward movement of the piston and by the direct action of thepiston-head when the parts are set for a quick exhaust, while the otheropens inward and is controlled by the outward movement of the valve 11a.

The valve 11a has a shank 12, provided with an enlargement 12L adjacentits rear face, to which is connected a bracket 13, having an anglemember 14 at the outer end, the purpose of which will presently appear.

By connecting the bracket 13 to the valveshank such bracket will have alimited free movement when the valve is opened by the piston action in amanner hereinafter described.

15 indicates a rock-lever pivotally secured at 15L to the rear of thecylinder, one end being slotted at 15X to move freely on the shank 12,while its other end is also slotted to freely move on the shank 10b ofthe valve 10, which is also provided with an enlarged hub 10c, againstwhich the end 15c of the lever is held by the spring 16, the other endof the said lever being heldagainst the collar 12a by the spring 17, theaction of spring 17 on the lever serving to force the end 15e thereof ina position to normally hold the lower valve closed, while the spring 17performs the same service for the valve 112i.

The object in arranging the double exhaustvalves in the manner ,shown isto provide for a uniform and quick exhaust of the exploded mixture whenit is desired to reverse the engine, which operation is effected by adirect action of the piston-head and the compression of the explodedmixture, which will serve to force the valve 11*L outward, which in turnforces the valve 10a inward, and in consequence opens the smallerexhaust-port, thereby admitting of a positive exhaust of the residuumbefore the piston starts back to draw a pure mixture into thecombustion-chamber and before it starts back to compress the samepreparatory to Vits explosion, thereby greatly increasing the explosivepower, as every charge is practically an entirely fresh one.

The valve devices at the rear ofthe cylinder in practice are cased in,as indicated at 18, such casing being provided with an offtake for thefoul mixture.

19 indicates a short plunger-rod held to slide in a stuffing-box in therear wall of the cylinder. This rod is pivotally connected to a link 20,which in turn is connected to a similar link 20, pivotally connected tothe end of the angle member 14 of the bracket 13.

22 indicates an igniting-chimney which has an igniting-tube 22 of theusual height and is connected with a gas-supply pipe 23 or other sourceof heat. This igniting-tube 22fL is of a somewhat shallow height and haspractically the ordinary position relatively to the com bustion-chamber,so as not to explode the mixture until the piston has fully compressedthe same. 23 is another igniting-tube, held within the chimney 22 or aseparate chimney, if desired. These tubes are arranged to be alternatelybrought into communication with the combustion-chamber by the valvemechanism presently described.

Both the igniting-tubes connect with a casing 26, held on the top of thecylinder, in which is held to slide a valve-plate 25, having an opening25a, which when the valve is in one position registers with the shortigniting-tube and when in the other position registers with the long orinner tube, the action of such valve being to alternately bring eitherigniting-tube in communication with the explosion-chamber. A rod 27 isconnected to the rear end of the valve-plate, which has a crank member27a, which connects with the arm 13, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1,such plate 25 also having a forwardly-projecting rod 27h, to which ispivotally joined a second set of link-arms 28 28a, which has the end 28pivotally connected to the upper end of a standard 29, secured to theframe of the engine.

30 indicates an angle-lever which has a vertical arm 30a, adapted toengage detent devices 31, provided with end spring-catches 50 5l,acentral catch 52,and intermediate catches 53 54, whereby the lever canbe set at different positions. The horizontal member 30 has a pendentarm 32,which pivotally connects with the meeting ends of the members 28and 28, as shown.

33 indicates an operating-rod for setting the lever 30, which extendsforward to a convenient point for operation.

34 indicates a swinging lever arranged parallel with and in line withthe standard 29, which is connected to the lever 29 by the doublepivoted link members 35 35a, the meeting ends of which are alsopivotally connected to a bell-crank arm 36, in turn flxedly connected tothe lever-arm 30 at a pointabove its fulcrum, as shown. One end of thearm 35L is extended and has a pivoted tripper 39, which is adapted toengage the corrugated periphery 373M of a disk 37, secured upon orrotated by the drive-shaft, such tripper being so arranged as to engagewith I[he corrugations of the disk 37when the rotation is reversed andmoved to a position to automatically set the lever mechanism to areversing operation and cut out the large igniting-tube and bring thesmall tube in communication with the combustion-cham ber after themovement of the engine has been reversed.

The manner in which myimprovements operate in connection with the engineis best explained as follows: Vhen the parts are in the position shownin Fig. 1, the piston moves to its full stroke rearward, the rod beingat this time drawn back to a position out of reach of the piston-head,the short ignitingtube being at this time in condition to ignite themixture and the tripper 39 out of engage- IOO IIO

IZO

ment with the disk 37, and thereby leave the several lever devices in aninoperative position.` When operating in this manner, the explodedmixture passes out of the regular exhaust 5 in the usual manner. Toreverse the movement of the engine, the operator pulls the lever BOfLover to the center catch 52, which moves the several -lever devices insuch a manner as to bring the links 2O and 20@ in a straight line toforce the rod 19 some distance into the explosion-chamber, so that lthepiston-head will engage the rod, push it back, and thereby quicklyexhaust the residuum of the last explosion through the valveopenings l()ll and at the same time shift the valve 25 to bring the opening 25inline with the tall igniting-tube, such movement of the lever also4bringi n g the trigger in contact with the corrugated disk to ridefreely thereon, as shown in Fig. 4E. The valves,with the bracket, arebrought to their normal position by the valve-springs as soon as thepiston recedes. At this point it should be stated the intermediatedetent-catches 53 54 are provided to stop the movement of the lever 30at points between the central and end catches, so as to make but apartial throw of the lever devices and the valve 25, and thereby cut outboth tubes from the combustion-chamber and leaving the said chambersupplied with an explosive mixture ready to be ignited whenever thevalve 25 is shifted'suflciently to bring either igniting-tube incommunication with the said combustion-chamber. As the large tube has agreater heat area than the shallow tube, it is manifest that it'will themore quickly ignite the mixed charge. Thus after the piston has movedbackward to force out the exploded mixture and has traveled forward itsfull induction stroke, owing to the relation of the large ignitingtubeto it the charge will be exploded before the piston has traveled farenough back for the crank to pass the vertical axis of its circle, theexplosive force thus imparting a backward propulsion on the piston,which though it may not be sufficient to effecta positive reverse motionto the engine at the first retarding-explosion will slow up the momentumsuf-l,

iicient to allow the next successive retardingexplosions to cause the'drive-shaft to move in a reverse direction. At the first reversemovement of theshaft the trigger' will become iixedly engaged with thedisk 37a and turned to a reverse position, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 4. This operation will force the several lever members 35 35"L 2828n to assume a position reverse to that shown in Fig.` l (see dottedlines) and through them, movement of the lever 30, and the slide-plate25 bring the short igniting-tube in operative condition and at the sametime restore the rod 19 and members 20 and 20"L to their normalposition, and thereby permit the piston to run its full and uniformstroke in the ordinary manner. To again reverse the motion of theengine-shaft, the several lever devices are again adj usted to effectthe same operation of reversing as before, thelever 30 being set in anopposite direction.

While I have shown my devices applied to an engine in which theexhaustingis accomplished on the return or back stroke of the piston,the same may be used in connection with a cylinder having the exhaustingmeans arranged at any point through which the residuum is drawn off inthe regular rotation of the crank-shaft in either direction.

In all forms of machines to which my improvements are applied thesupplemental exhaust-valves are so arranged that theprematurely-exploded mixture is exhausted the moment the piston reachesthe end of its forward stroke, (when the crank ofthe drive-axle hasforced the piston to the limit of its forward stroke.) Thus the eect ofthe exploded mixture is that of a retarding agent only during the timethe motion of the drive-shaft is being continuously slowed up, it beingunderstood, however, that as soon as the speed has been sufficientlyretarded a prematurev explosion will occur which at once checks thepiston, prevents its passing the vertical center, and in consequence,through the expansion force of the said prematurely-exploded charge, themotion of the engine is reversed, such last prematurely-exploded chargeat this time escaping through the regular exhaust. `When it is desiredto effect the reverse movement, the shifting devices are so set that thepin 19 projects into the cylinder so the piston engages itevery time itreaches the limit of its forward thrust and through it opens the valveslOn and 11a.

I desire it understood I do not confine my improvements to an engineconstructed as shown, nor do I limit myself to the particular form oflever and shifting devices shown, as these may be modiiied and variedwithout departing from the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore,the supplemental exhaust-valves may be connected to any part of thevcombustion chamber or cylinder as the character of the engine may makemost desirable. 4

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to obtainby Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the working cylinder and piston, the workingagent supply and exploded mixture regular exhaust, of a reversingmechanism comprising means for IOO IIO

exploding the charge on the inward movenected with the supplementalvalves, including a member adapted to be projected in the path of thefull back stroke of the piston, igniting means, adapted to ignite atdifferent points of the combustion-chamber, and valve devices for suchigniting means, of lever mechanism connecting such valve devices and theshifting devices, said lever mechanism including a hand-operated memberfor setting the lever mechanism, igniting-valve and piston-engagingmemberin one direction and members adapted to be connected with andoperated by the reverse rotation of the drive-shaft to automaticallyreve rse the movement of the several lever mechanisms after the samehave been set by hand, all being arranged substantially as shown and forthe purposes described.

3. The combination with the cylinder, the piston, the crank-shaft andthe exhausting means at the rear end of the cylinder, of a shiftingdevice having a member projected into the end of the cylinder, means formoving such member in position to be engaged by the piston before itreaches the limit of its rear stroke, and igniting-tubes disposed at apoint near the front end of the combustion-chamber, having a cut-offvalve and means for shifting such valve at a predetermined time,automatically operated by the movement of the crank-shaft, all being`arranged substantially as shown and described.

4. In a gas-engine, having a reciprocating piston and supplementalexhaust-valves, of a duplex igniting means, consisting' of twoigniting-tubes, a cut-off valve mechanism common to both, but arrangedwhen shifted in alternate directions to alternatelyplace such tubes incommunication with the cylinder, shifting means connected to the valvesand the igniting-tube cut-off, a lever mechanism, connected to the saidout off valve having a trip device adapted to be automatically movedinto a piston engagement with a part of the crank-shaft, said leverdevices being handoperated to one position and automatically operated bythe movement of the said trip device to another position substantiallyas shown and for the purposes speciiied.

5. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder, the ignitingdevices and the piston-shaft, said cylinder having a pair ofexhaust-ports, said ports having reversely-arranged valve-seats, one ofsuch ports being of a larger diameter than the other, of the oppositely-movable valves for engaging the ports the larger valve being movableoutward, means for holding such valves to their seats, and a connectingmechanism joining such valves, whereby as the larger valve is movedoutward by an abnormal compression of the exploded mixture or by directpiston action, the smaller will be moved inward to open its ports, allbeing arranged substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination with the cylinder, the exhaust ports and valves, thepiston and the shaft, of a double set of igniting devices, one tube ofwhich is in advance ofthe other and made of a greater height, whereby toretain a greater heat volume, a cut-off for alternately bringing eithertube into communication with the combustion-chamber and shifting devicesfor positively opening the exhaust-valves and for setting either of theigniting devices into communication with the combustion-chamber, asspecified.

7. A reversing mechanism for gas-engines, comprising means forpositively exhausting the explosion-chamber, and for'exploding thel newmixture before the piston reaches its full rear stroke, and connectionsoperated by the crank-shaft for effecting a continuation of the reversemovement substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

8. The combination with a gas-engine hav` ing the usual cylinder,piston, air and gas inlets, and means for exhausting the explodedmixture, and a reversing mechanism, comprising means for exploding themixture on the inward motion of the piston, before its crank axlereaches its vertical axis, and means for exhausting theprematurely-exploded mixture as it is compressed by the continuation oflthe impeded forward stroke of the piston, as specified.

9. A gas-engine provided with shifting devices for setting theexhaust-valves and the igniting devices, whereby yto effect a reversemovement of the piston before it reaches the limit of its forwardstroke, the said shifting devices including means for holding suchvalves at intermediate points whereby to IOO close off the ignitingdevices from the cylinder and maintain a charge within the cylinder,substantially as shown and for the pur- Witnesses:

FRED G. DIETERICH, JOHN L. FLETCHER.

